Minister Coveney Reminds Farmers that Closing Date Under 2015 Basic Payment Scheme is Friday 29 May 2015 and Encourages On-Line Applications
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney, TD, today reminded farmers that the closing date for receipt of applications under the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme had been extended from 15 May to 29 May 2015. The Minister said that “this extension was introduced to assist farmers and their advisors to prepare and submit BPS applications this year and to comply with additional requirements arising from implementation of the Greening Payment’’.
The Minister said “I am very pleased to be in a position to confirm that over 82,000 applications have already been received by Department under the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme of which 57,000 have been submitted using the online system”. The Minister took the opportunity to remind farmers with specific Greening Payment requirements, organic farmers and those in partnerships that their applications must be lodged on-line in 2015.
The Minister also welcomed the increased usage of iNet, his Department’s on-line application facility for the Basic Payment Scheme. "I am delighted to see that on-line applications under the 2015 Scheme are currently running at such a high level”, the Minister said. "This is very much in line with the trend each year since the introduction of iNet in 2007, with increased numbers being lodged on-line each year. The continuing increase in the number of on-line applications is because of the benefits of iNet", the Minister said, outlining that, due to the system of in-built validations on the on-line facility, the options for applicants to make errors on their applications is dramatically restricted. The Minister concluded by adding "I would strongly recommend that anyone considering availing of the on-line facility to make enquiries via the website, www.agfood.ie or, alternatively, the dedicated Helpdesk at Lo-call 1890 252 118".
The Minister reminded farmers of the importance of ensuring that their applications were submitted by the closing date of 29 May taking into account that farmers were applying for new payment entitlements under the Basic Payment Scheme as well as payment under the 2015 BPS. In order to avoid late penalties that must be applied under EU rules”. He added “Unfortunately quite a number of applications are received after the May deadline each year and in some of these cases it is not possible to make any payment. Such penalties can easily be avoided simply by ensuring that applications are submitted on time”.
Minister Coveney said that “In an effort to increase awareness amongst farmers of the impending deadline of 29th May for the submission of applications, my Department will remind farmers by text to submit their applications on-time and to use the on-line facility for so doing.”
To facilitate receipt of applications the Basic Payment Unit of the Department, based in Portlaoise, will be open to the public as follows: Monday 25th – Thursday 28th May - 9am to 9pm and Friday 29th May – 9am to Midnight.
View Press Release as a PDF: DAFMPR 85/2015 (pdf 373Kb)
Date Released: 14 May 2015
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